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Dubbo study of the elderly: sociological and cardiovascular risk factors at entry
Author(s) -
Simons L. A.,
Simons J.,
McCallum J.,
Powell I.,
Friedlander Y.,
Heller R.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1991.tb01373.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gerontology , sociological theory , sociological research , intensive care medicine , social science , sociology
A prospective study of elderly Australians commenced in 1988 in Dubbo, NSW. Its goals are to identify predictors of mortality, hospitalisation and placement in long‐term care, with special focus on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The study population were non‐institutionalised subjects, comprising 1237 males and 1568 females 60 years and over. This report describes the baseline findings: demographic, educational and economic data; tobacco and alcohol usage, self‐medication and other habits; medical contacts and past diagnoses; prescribed medication and in study diagnoses; psychosocial variables, functional health and social support; blood lipid and lipoprotein data; blood pressure, spirometry and glucose data; heights and weights. Where comparison has been feasible, the findings in Dubbo closely resemble those obtained from the rest of Australia. The findings presented provide the basis for aetiological studies of future outcomes.